My Neighbor Kyouka-chan
by ChilliPee
Summary: AU: Atsushi has a neighbor. She makes him run all her errands, cook for her and sometimes, most times really, makes him do her laundry. She also routinely invades his privacy, ignores any and all rules pertaining to his comfort levels and he's pretty sure she's going to run him into debt. And honestly he wouldn't have it any other way.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:** I love this pairing. Sadly, it's like the least favoured pairing here so I had trouble finding lengthy fics with them. Like the summary says this is AU but still with ability users. Will probably be about five chapters, maybe, I don't know.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Bungo Stray Dogs, if I did... well this ship would have sailed ages ago.

 **BSD**

Atsushi Nakajima sighed as he stared at the piece of paper in his hand.

"Errands?" Kunikida asked.

He sighed. "Something like that," he mumbled. "Does anyone know where I can find a good pet shop?"

"They have one four blocks from here across that great sushi place," Kenji replied.

 _Ah, four blacks?_ That was four blocks more than he wanted to walk right now. The Detective Agency had their hands full with a number of cases of late. He barely had time to catch a full night's rest and now he had all these errands to run. Worse, they weren't even his.

"What, you need some catnip?" Dazai, the only other eccentric man of the office, teased with a grin.

The other was a man named Ranpo Edogawa, who'd stepped out two hours ago to follow a lead. Hopefully he hadn't gotten lost again.

He glowered at his mentor. "Really funny," he deadpanned.

Even his patience to take a joke was shot. The only bright spark in all this was that he'd finally get the Saturday off. And boy did he plan to enjoy it.

"But on a serious note, why do you need a pet shop?" Dazai asked.

"For specialized fish food," he stated. "Did you guys know that fish get Alzheimer?"

"You're kidding right?"Kunikida asked.

Atsushi merely shook his head. "My neighbour's gold fish is apparently going through it," he replied. "I didn't believe it too at first but then I saw it."

Kenji leaned over curious, "So what?"

"The fish literally trying to swim through the wall of its glass bowl," he replied with a slight shake of the head. "Apparently it forgets that it's inside a bowl or something."

There was a momentary silence before suddenly the other members burst into laughter.

"The kid's got jokes," Kunikida said, recovering first. "So that's why you need special fish food?"

Atsushi nodded.

"Wait, that neighbour wouldn't happen to be _her_ , right?" Kenji asked with sudden interest.

It seemed everyone in the agency knew who the _her_ was, after all he seemed to spend a lot of time discussing her.

"Wow, are you two still _just_ neighbours at this point?' Dazai asked.

"What do you mean?" Atsushi asked puzzled.

The other three men exchanged glances. That did not bode well for him at all.

"You cook for her, you run her errands, you even do her washing," Kunikida pointed out. "I have a neighbour and already the occasionally hello is a bane in my existence."

Atsushi suspected that Kunikida didn't like interacting with people much. The people at the agency were probably the exception, since it was his job and couldn't be helped.

"I don't do her washing!" he denied, before adding with a sullen pout. "She does her washing in my place."

"I like how you say that like there's a difference," Dazai quipped, amused.

"There is," he shot back.

"Oh really?" Kenji asked grinning. "I could've sworn I saw you two lovebirds at the local grocery just last week."

Atsushi made a face. "I was dragged there without my own will."

The fact that it turned out to be a fun excursion was beside the point.

"For a guy being forced you sure seemed happy about it," the country boy remarked.

Atsushi just ignored him.

He didn't expect anyone to understand his relationship with Kyouka. Hell, he didn't even understand it and they'd know each other close to a year now.

She just appeared one day at his door, arms laden with clothes and a look of resignation on her face.

" _My name is Kyouka," she'd introduced, her voice soft but without emotion. "Last week I moved into the apartment next door. My washing machine isn't working. Can I use yours?"_

Looking back he'd fallen for the whole despairing damsel trick and let her in without question. And she'd never left since. Well, she stayed in her apartment but for the amount of time she hung around his, she might as well be his unofficial roommate.

Prior to joining the agency, he'd been a loner, lost in a sea of self hatred and isolation. So he couldn't help feel like she was his kindred spirit.

Unfortunately his kindred spirit soon proved to be completely unapologetic about making him do her bidding.

"Are we done for today?" he asked no one in particular as he rose from his seat.

"Are you done filling those reports?" Kunikida asked him sternly.

Atsushi sighed as he slumped back into his seat.

"I want them done by end of business day today," the blonde man added.

"Yes, sir," Atsushi said deflated.

He really hated paper work.

/

When he arrived later at his apartment, having gone to a pet shop across town, since the one four blocks from the office had closed before 4 pm, Atsushi was dreading the talking too he was going to get.

It was his turn to cook dinner. Hopefully whatever this fish food was would smooth things over.

However when he stepped inside he was only met with silence, a quick investigation of the kitchen later left him only with a hastily scribbled note.

Work. You owe me dinner. Kyouka.

Like anyone else could break into his apartment just to leave him a note. He shook his head.

Work? He often wondered what exactly Kyouka did. She had a pretty good idea of what he did but tactfully evaded the question when he tried to pry.

Sometimes he entertained himself with wondering about what her job was. Because she worked such random erratic hours, a normal nine to five couldn't cut it.

So maybe she was a delivery girl? Though he couldn't picture her rocking up at people's doors and shoving deliveries into their hands.

Or maybe she worked as a waitress? However the image of her taking down orders, messing them up and expecting customers to apologize for her mistake seemed even more terrifying.

Or she was a ninja? Possibly a spy. After all she crept up on him so often it was crazy. With his ability he had quite the heightened senses and only two people got the drop on him. The first was Dazai, simply because that man wasn't normal period. The second was Kyouka and he had yet to figure out how she did it.

After a quick and unsatisfying dinner, quick because there was no point eating slowly if he didn't have company and unsatisfying for that very same reason, he cleaned up after himself.

He'd never admit it but he didn't mind cooking for two. The company wasn't bad either. And depending on her mood she'd help up with clean up afterwards.

To him what seemed like a perfectly normal relationship between neighbours was everything but to the people at the Detective Agency.

Maybe he thought it was normal since outside the agency he really didn't have anyone else he was particularly close too?

A shower later found him climbing into the bed in hopes of catching a decent night's rest.

He smiled to himself when he thought about having the day off tomorrow.

/

Atsushi reeled back in surprise, nearly falling right off his bed. "Kyouka?"

Something had startled him awake and it turned out to be his neighbour.

The young woman merely blinked back at from her perch beside his bed.

Still half asleep, he glanced between her and the open doors leading to his balcony. "Wait, did you seriously climb into my balcony?!" he asked, eyes wide.

"I knocked but you wouldn't answer," she replied with a shrug.

"I was asleep!"

 _And when had a locked door every stopped her before?_

"So you admit it?"

Confused, he sat up, rubbing at his tired eyes. "Admit what?" he asked. _Was she only just returning from work?_ And he thought he had it bad.

"That it's your fault I had to climb in through the balcony," she stated.

"Wait, what?!"

Honestly by now nothing Kyouka did should surprise him, yet somehow she still managed to do it.

"You just said you were sleeping, didn't you?"

"Because it's _only_ the middle of the night!"

She smirked in triumph. "Exactly."

Somehow he lost the fight, as completely illogical as it sounded. "I'm sorry," he said bowing his head in defeat.

"Apology accepted," she said before shuffling closer to him, so close her face was literally in front of his.

He squirmed and tried and failed to sink into the wall behind him. _What was with this girl and completely ignoring all his comfort levels?_

"Look." She said, shoving a piece of paper in his face.

Atsushi squinted at the glossy sheet unable to read it. Eventually he just sighed and turned on the bedside lamp to get a better look. "Bunny Bon Paradise?" he read aloud.

Kyouka smiled happily, which was a rare feat in itself and one he was a complete sucker for. "It's coming this weekend," she said excitedly.

 _This weekend, huh?_

 _Wait._

"You mean today, like this morning weekend?" he asked surprised.

She nodded.

He suddenly had a bad feeling about this.

"Well, have fun," he said with what he hoped was his best 'I'm going back to sleep now, so can you please leave' smile.

She frowned.

AH. Not good.

He didn't want to ask, but- crap, he was going to!

"You aren't trying to get me to go with you, right?"

It was an eerily familiar phrase that preceded most of their excursions.

But this time was different.

No way could he accompany her. This was his first Saturday off in a while and he'd already planned to catch up on some sleep, reading and absolutely nothing.

The absolutely nothing part being the part he looked forward to the most.

"If you insist," Kyouka said with a sniff of her delicate nose.

Her response was also eerily familiar.

Atsushi just gaped at her, before quickly recovering. "No!" he blurted, waving his hands and shaking his head. "I don't insist. I already have plans for today!"

She cocked her head to the side. "So?"

"So," he spluttered, wracking his brain as to why he consistently had to explain himself to his neighbour. "So, I just, you know, I..."he stammered incoherently, before he suddenly tensed up, eyes wide. "What are you doing?!" he demanded.

He meant for his voice to sound commanding only it was several octaves higher and came out as a squeak.

"I am using my female charms to convince you otherwise," she said in a flat, rather blunt tone as her fingers cupped his face.

"I-I see that so just s-s-stop!" he stammered unable to really pull away.

Kyouka leaned forward. _Fuck, was she going to kiss him? Was it finally happening? And why did it feel like he was a bit excited about it too?_

Her breath was warm on his face and honestly he couldn't tear his eyes away from those beguiling blue orbs.

It was too much!

He never stood a chance.

"Fine!" he blurted. "I'll go, I'll go with you to that Bon Buns or whatever."

"Bunny Bon Parade," she corrected with a smirk. She dropped her hands from his face and stepped back.

 _What, that's it?_

"You look disappointed."

She totally saw through him. "What?!" he exclaimed, trying and failing to look affronted. "I am not!"

She just continued to smirk back at him.

With a huff of indignation, he dove back under his covers. _Seriously that girl._

"See you bright and early at 7," she told him.

He muttered darkly to himself before her words registered. _7 am?!_

"But it's already 5 am, how will I get sufficient sleep?!" he demanded, peeking out of the covers to glare at her.

She shrugged. "That is not my problem."

Atsushi sank further under his covers.

Once again defeated by her illogical argument.

/

As festival goes Bon Bunny wasn't so bad. He wouldn't admit it, but he was actually having fun. They'd already visited several stalls and were now simply looking around, unhurried.

Suddenly his companion came to an abrupt stop. Wondering what the problem was he turned to her, curious. "What's wrong?"

She didn't speak only lifted her hand and pointed up ahead. He followed her finger and saw the stall before them. It had various knick knacks most notably however was the white bunny splashed over every merchandise.

He knew she liked that bunny. After all he'd had to win her a plushie replica, earlier in their relationship.

"But don't you have enough stuff already?" he asked.

She scowled at him.

"I guess there's nothing wrong with getting a look," he quickly amended.

Kyouka grabbed his hand and dragged him along. With no other choice, he allowed himself to be pulled along.

As she surveyed the goods, occasionally picking something up and asking the woman behind the stall about it, he couldn't help smile a little.

She was often cool and disinterested but he found this overly girly side of hers pretty darn cute.

Right now she looked much younger than her supposed nineteen years. Supposed, because she didn't mind using her youthful looks to get a kiddie discount on things while he paid the full adult fee.

And he probably shouldn't be so bitter about it since he usually had to pay the discounted fee anyways.

Suddenly she tugged at his hand and pointed to the t-shirts hanging to the side.

There were pink with the white bunny printed on them.

Kyouka glanced between him and the shirts, her eyes big.

"What?" Atsushi asked suspiciously, although the way she was staring up at him gave him a sinking suspicion of what was to come.

"I don't have any money," she stated.

"Then why did you insist on coming here?!" he blurted.

The shop owner gave him a disapproving look. To her he probably seemed like the rude overbearing boyfriend. Scratch that, friend who happens to be a boy. A boy space friend.

"Just think of it as my birthday gift," she said with a shrug.

He scowled down at her. "That was the excuse for the last five times you made me buy you something," he reminded her.

She blinked up at him.

He needed to be firm. At this point she'd be driving him into debt. Well not that the stuff he bought her was even _that_ expansive...

 _Wait?! Why was he trying to reason with himself? No, he needed to put his foot down._

 _Starting today._

 _This very moment._

He was going to-

Her eyes seemed to shimmer.

 _Fuck it._

"Fine," he conceded lamely, pulling out his wallet.

He was rewarded with such a radiant smile he couldn't help return it with a goofy one of his own.

That is until,

"Two please!"

" _What_?!"

/

 _He was weak._ That's what Atsushi decided as Kyouka dragged him to one stall after the other. Maybe Akutagawa, his sometimes enemy, had a point. How else did he explain this sudden turn of events? Not only had he ended up purchasing both silly tees but he was now wearing one over his clothes.

As was Kyouka.

He didn't miss the stupid grins people gave them. They must have made quite a pair.

"Kyouka, can we sit down?" he asked in a whine. She'd already dragged him all over the place and he couldn't even escape since she held his hand firmly in her own.

"But we only just started," she said with a slight frown.

 _Just started? It was already pass noon!_ They'd arrived here at 8 am when everything was still being prepared.

He needed to try a different tactic however.

"How about we sit down for something to eat?" he suggested in a cajoling tone. He even smiled sweetly.

Honestly at this point he was all but ready to keel over from exhaustion and heat. Mind you, he never did go back to sleep after she woke him up in the wee hours of the morning.

And it had absolutely nothing to do with thoughts about the almost kiss. Fuck, he was thinking about that again.

He turned his focus back to his captor. She chewed nervously on her bottom lip. She had nice lips, he'd chew on them too.

 _Great! Really?_ He was spending way too much time with Dazai if he was even having such perverted thoughts.

"It would be my treat," he added.

Those were apparently the magic words.

She beamed. "Since you insist!" she said happily.

He hadn't, but that wasn't even an issue anymore.

However the universe was not finished with him yet. Just as they made their way to one of the food trucks around the park who else but a member of the Armed Detective Company should run into them?

Worse it was two members and both had a really perverse pleasure on causing him pain and discomfort.

Also, it was too late to try and make a run for it since they spotted him at the exact same time he spotted them.

"Kunikida... Yosano..." he uttered surprised.

 _Why is the universe so cruel?_

Yosano might have been smiling pleasantly, all sweet like but he knew from the sharp glint in her eyes that she was going to enjoy this.

"Ah Atsushi," Kunikida greeted. "And who say is this lovely lady?"

Right.

Dragging his eyes from his colleagues he glanced at Kyouka who was standing next to him, also eyeing the two new comers with curiosity.

"This is my..." he paused. When he'd asked her once if they were friends she'd glared at him and avoided him all of two days before showing up at his doorstep demanding to be fed. _So maybe they were more like enemies?_ Only that wasn't true either. "She's my neighbour, Kyouka Izumi."

That seemed about right, but if the sudden increase in pressure on his fingers was any indication he'd screwed up somehow.

"Oh so she's _that_ neighbour," Yosano remarked, all mock wide eyed.

Kyouka shot him a glare then.

He shifted uncomfortably. It felt like he was between a rock and a hard place.

"She's just as adorable as you said!" the good doctor marvelled.

 _Adorable?! He'd never said that!_

Well sure he thought it. _Sometimes_. Especially when she'd smile endearingly up at him or show amazement at something he'd done for that exact reason.

But he definitely wasn't running around making this known!

"Wait, I can explain," he began nervously, wanting to explain himself before any further harm was inflicted upon his person, but to his surprise Kyouka actually looked like she was blushing.

 _Was that even possible? Maybe she was so mad her face had gone red?_

 _Right?_

 _Probably._

"Nice to meet you," Kyouka said with a polite bow. Her voice was soft and refined.

Nothing like the way she usually talked to him.

"I'm Akiko Yosano," Yosano introduced before gesturing at Kunikida. "And he is Doppo Kunikida. We work with Atsushi here."

Kyouka nodded.

"Well, we're actually working right now," Kunikida said pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "So we'll be going."

Atsushi actually sagged in relief. Good. They weren't going to make this even more embarrassing. After all he'd made a show about how he and Kyouka were _just_ neighbours.

Being caught with his just neighbour at a festival in matching tees probably didn't help his denials.

"It was nice meeting you," Kyouka said and she even smiled a bit.

 _Nice?_ He'd never heard her use that name in reference to him, even when he did something absurdly nice. Like purchase ridiculous Bon Bunny shirts. Or was it Bunny Bon? Bun Bun?

"Likewise," Yosana said.

He too bid them farewell and it seemed that this unexpected encounter would end without a hitch. He really should have known better.

"You two should enjoy the rest of your date," Yosano said, her smirk positively gleeful. "And I really like the matching t-shirts."

 _They'd noticed! Of course they had!_

"And Atsushi, you better not let go of this one," Kunikida said, expression blank but he was pretty sure behind the sheen covering his lenses he was laughing at him. "Just keep holding onto her hand like that."

He was speechless. He'd completely forgotten about that! After all, they held hands so often he never even thought about how it was an intimate gesture to most people.

The two left afterwards.

"I like them," Kyouka said after a moment. "They seem like really nice people."

"Yeah, really nice," he said sarcastically.

********************************************************************************** **And before anyone jumps a cliff or whatever this is AU so I made Kyouka older, Atsuhi is probably twenty three here as well. I intend to have some kissing in this story and god forbid a fourteen year old and eighteen year old kiss - in fanfiction no less. So hence why I made her older.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much for the reviews! Happy there's an interest for this story. It's exam my side so hence the slow updates.

 **Warning:** Pure Fluff.

 **BSD**

Leaning heavily against the wall, Atsushi used the back of his hand to wipe at the glistering sweat on his forehead.

"You okay?"Junichiro asked with concern.

The other man handed him a bottle of water. They'd just finished their mission and were waiting for their pick up transport.

He accepted the bottle with a grateful smile before taking a sip. The cold liquid felt so good on his parched throat. "I think I might have caught the flu or something," he admitted.

He'd woken up this morning nursing a headache and aching joints.

This sudden bout of unwellness had taken him by surprise. He never got sick. Then again they'd been quite busy and he hardly got the chance to sleep much.

"You should get some rest," Junichiro advised giving him a gentle pat on the back.

He nodded his agreement and thankfully Kunikida finally rolled up. "Need a lift?" he asked them, having rolled the window down.

Unlike Dazai he didn't make it sound like a joke either.

/

Atsushi barely made it out of the shower, feeling woozy and his joints aching and protesting. Whatever he was coming down with, it had hit him pretty hard.

But he was sure it was nothing a good rest wouldn't cure.

He got dressed, practically fighting with his trembling clammy hands to work.

Finally he was able to lie down.

 _Just for a bit._ He told himself drowsily. He'd wake up in a bit to make dinner.

It was his turn after all. Although it seemed like it was always his turn.

Kyouka had a talent of burning food. Even salad wasn't safe from that girl.

He thought about the last time she'd made dinner and it brought a drowsy smile to his face. She'd completely turned that rice into harden flap jacks.

His mind drifted between thoughts of his neighbour and the amount of work he still needed to get done until he eventually drifted off to sleep.

When he woke up, he was freezing but sweating. He sat up and his blanket fell to his legs.

 _Odd._ He didn't remember pulling up the covers. But then his sensitive senses picked up on what had woken him in the first place.

 _Burning!_ Something was burning!

He leapt to his feet, stumbled when they shook under him but steeled himself. He couldn't die in a ball of fire!

 _Also, why hadn't the fire alarm gone off?_

Stumbling out of his bedroom, he made his way to the kitchen and froze.

Standing precariously on top of the table, fiddling with the fire alarm was his neighbour.

"Kyouka?"

She started before turning to look at him. "I was switching it back on," she explained.

Well that explained why it hadn't gone off. Still, there was the whole issue of why something was burning in the first place. The culprit was a pot set aside, smoke bellowing out of it.

"Were you cooking?" he asked surprised.

She crossed her arms across her chest. "It was your turn but when I got here you were sleeping," she accused with a huff.

"Sorry," was the automatic response. For some reason he was always the one doing the apologizing. "So what were you cooking?"

He still felt unwell, chills on his skin making him feel cold, but he was certain he wasn't in danger of passing out.

She jumped from the table, landing perfectly on her feet. She was a pretty agile girl.

"Porridge." She answered.

 _Porridge?_ He frowned before slowly realisation dawned on him and he smiled stupidly back at her. "Were you cooking me porridge?" he asked surprised.

"You're sick aren't you?" she demanded in annoyance.

"Something like that..."

 _Had she also been the one to pull the covers over him?_ He found the gesture endearingly touching.

"Anyway you should probably eat," she said.

He glanced at the pot of doom. It even had a thick gloomy cloud of smoke over it. _Surely if the cold didn't kill him, it would?_

"Ah actually I'm not really that hungry," he said hastily.

"You're sick, you need fuel," she said. "Also, you can't take medication on an empty stomach."

 _Medication?_

He noticed a small package on the table. _She'd bought him medication too?!_

He was really touched. Having seen how far she'd gone for him, he realised he couldn't turn down her food as well.

He had no choice.

Smiling he took a seat. "I'd love some porridge." He said.

She looked unconvinced. "You sure?"

He nodded.

"You're not just forcing yourself are you?"

He was definitely forcing himself. Honestly his stomach was turning at the mere thought of shoving that concoction down his throat.

"I'm not forcing myself," he lied.

She gave him a dubious look.

 _So he was really going to beg for his own food poisoning?_ Atsushi thought.

"Please can I have some porridge," he asked.

She looked nonchalant but he could tell she was secretly pleased. "Fine, if you insist," she said.

She scooped him up a serving before placing it before him. She must have been really worried, she never served him. Not even when he cooked and promised to do the dishes afterwards.

Atsushi stared at the green yellowy mixture. He'd never seen porridge this shade of colour before. And neither had his stomach, judging by its reaction.

Kyouka sat across from him, waiting.

He couldn't even throw it away at this point. Squaring his shoulders he picked up the spoon.

 _You can do this._ He mentally encouraged himself. _Think of it as another mission to stop the Port Mafia._

It was all or nothing.

Having spooned up a helping he brought it to his mouth and nearly gagged.

His fingers actually trembled.

From the corner of his eye he saw Kyouka watching him.

His jaw actually hurt as he opened his mouth and clamped it around the spoon.

He had to swallow the entire chunky mess down in one go. That's how bad it was.

 _This taste..._

He tried to keep the disgust from showing on his face as he swallowed with great effort.

"Kyouka," he began hesitantly.

"What?"

"Did you..." he paused. There was no way, but still his taste buds were not that shot yet. "Did you add vinegar in this?"

"Yes and some lemon juice," she replied with a nod. "I wasn't supposed to?"

He actually threw up a bit in his mouth when he heard that. No wonder it tasted like something horrible and disgusting.

"Also, I was afraid it would cake so I added the eggs last."

Not only was it burnt but it was also not even cooked through.

"You hate it, don't you?" she asked miserably.

Hate was a kind way of putting it.

 _Honestly, had they been enemies in their past life and this her sub conscious way of paying him back for whatever wrong he committed against her back then?_

But she looked really sad and Kyouka for all her disinterest and flat voice was never really sad. At least not with him and he much preferred her triumphant smirks over that near to tears look she was currently spotting.

He felt like a real ass then.

"I actually don't hate it," he said and it wasn't technically a lie. He more than hated it. "It just has its own distinct taste." In other words you have committed a grave sin against the cooking gods and the taste gods for that matter.

She looked surprise. "Really?"

He nodded.

"So you're going to finish it?"

 _What?! How on earth did she gleam that from this situation?_

Her eyes were shining back at him.

His shoulders slumped as he picked the spoon up once more.

It was like dying. If death was slow, tortures and seemingly endless.

Still, he ate the entire thing.

"Wow, I guess it's really not that bad," Kyouka remarked awed. She got up. "Want seconds?"

 _Was she hell bent on killing him?!_ At this point he was just about ready to ask her to shove a blade into his stomach. _Surely it would be quicker and less painful?_

He shook his head. "I'm full," he said with a forced smile. "Thank you."

She nodded. "Okay, you should take your medicine," she said.

He began opening the packet to take out the cold medicine.

She brought him a glass of water, which he thankfully received.

He took the pills in one gulp.

"So this wasn't so bad, huh?" she asked staring at the pot.

He shook his head. It was dreadful. _I don't think you'd serve that to even your worst enemy._

She scooped up a bit and took a tentative taste only to spit the entire thing out immediately.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed, making a disgusted face. "This is horrible!"

She looked really surprised too.

She stared back at him with wide eyes. "You really are sick," she commented. "How the hell did you finish this otherwise?"

He had no comment.

/

"Hey, Kyouka?"

"Hmmm?"

"Are you planning on staying the night?" Atsushi asked curious.

After dinner, or whatever that horrible meal had been, she'd insisted he go back to bed and seeing as how he actually did feel fatigued he relented.

He expected her to leave swiftly afterwards, after all it always seemed like she had pressing matters to get back to. However, she surprised him by pulling up a chair next to his bed and paging over a book he was half way through.

She paused, lifting her eyes to him. "You want me to leave?" she asked flatly.

"What?" he blurted before shaking his head. "No, no of course not!"

"Okay," she seemed satisfied with his response and went back to reading.

For someone who had been dead on his feet most of the day he was suddenly alert. Or maybe he was fighting off sleep?

"So how was your day?" he asked her.

She glanced at him once more. He smiled innocently.

Heaving a sigh, she dropped the book face down on the bed. "I fed The Fish." She replied.

The Fish was actually the name of her fish. Unimaginative but somehow it fit Kyouka.

"Which reminds me," she continued. "Thanks for the other day."

He just smiled. "You're welcome."

There was a lull in conversation, but it wasn't awkward.

"Not going into work?" he asked.

"Not tonight," she said with a shake of her head.

He was surprised she gave him an actual response, because usually she'd either change the topic or just ignore him.

He became hopeful. "Sooooo Kyouka," he began, fully sitting up and giving up all pretences he was about to fall asleep. "What is your job?"

She gave him a long look. So long in fact he began to feel nervous and was just about to take the question back when she responded.

"I kill people."

Atsushi blinked.

There was a long pause.

It was definitely awkward this time.

"Just kidding," Kyouka said before picking up the book once more. Only she said it with the same flat infliction Kunikida delivered similar 'jokes'.

"Oh," he said, relieved. "I mean that's funny...ha, ha, ha, ha-"

"It's not that fun," she interrupted him.

He clamped his lips shut.

Nervously he began tugging at a stray lock of hair.

Kyouka suddenly stood up.

"Where are you going?" he asked unable to mask his disappointment.

"You need rest," she informed him. "And if I stay you won't sleep."

"I'll go to sleep!" he hurriedly insisted. For some reason he didn't want her to leave. His body and head hurt less in her presence. If for no other reason than to fast track his recovery, he needed her to stay. "In fact," he added, lying down once more. "I'm probably sleeping right now."

She arched her eyebrows.

"This is me talking in my sleep," he explained.

She actually smiled.

"So I am sleeping, so you don't have to go," he finished.

She hesitated for a moment and he held his breath. Finally, she sat down once more and picked up her book.

He sighed in relief.

"You know," he began because he really wanted to talk with her some more. "You could always read to me."

No one had ever done that for him and he'd meant it mostly as a joke.

She shot him an unimpressed look. "Don't push it," was the flat rejection.

He smiled.

However a moment later, in a soft if somewhat shaky voice Kyouka began reading aloud.

And fuck it if he wasn't touched to bits. His eyes even misted over, but that could be the flu.

Definitely the flu.

If her presence was soothing her voice was like a balm to his aching body.

And he soon fell asleep.

/

And sure enough the next morning found him feeling much better. He could safely say the flu was the thing of the past.

Unfortunately his neighbour didn't get the memo. He found her in his kitchen engrossed in a cook book while something green bubbled in the stove.

Not even God falling from the sky could make him drink that, thank you very much.

"Morning," he greeted.

She turned and gave him a once over, her brows furrowing. "You're all better," she said and was it just him but did she actually sound disappointed?

He nodded. "Yes, good as new," he said enthusiastically. "So what are you brewing?"

She shot him a glare.

"I mean cooking!" he hastily corrected, hands held up in defence.

"I was making you a one day flu cure but since you're all better I guess it's unnecessary," She said with a sigh.

 _Yeah, definitely disappointed._

"Thank you, god," he said under his breath.

She closed the cook book and set it down. "Well?" she prodded.

He blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"You're all better right?"

He nodded.

"Then cook, I'm hungry," she said with a huff.

He smiled wanly. "I guess it can't be helped," he said moving to retrieve what he'd need from the fridge.

A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Hey, Kyouka?"

"Hmmm?"

"Did you eat anything last night?"

She just dropped her eyes to the ground.

His eyes widened. He'd been so absorbed in his sickness he hadn't even asked. To think he'd pressed her to stay and read him to sleep!

"Sit down," he said, voice firm.

She raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going to cook for you." He announced before he got to work.

She smiled and honestly if he wasn't feeling well, he was pretty sure her smile would have cured him.

 ************************************************************************************In the series Kyouka can cook, at least there's an inference that she can, however for purpose of this story she's terrible at it.**


End file.
